c. 1600, "a garment or assemblage of garments," originally any clothing, especially that appropriate to rank or to some ceremony; the specific sense of "woman's garment consisting of a skirt and waist" is recorded by 1630s, with overtones of "made not merely to clothe but to adorn." Dress rehearsal first recorded 1828.
Old English stole "long robe, scarf-like garment worn by clergymen," from Latin stola "robe, vestment" (also source of Old French estole, Modern French étole, Spanish estola, Italian stola), from Greek stole "a long robe;" originally "garment, equipment," from root of stellein "to place, array," with a secondary sense of "to put on" robes, etc., from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place. Meaning "women's long garment of fur or feathers" is attested from 1889.
"organic substance forming the wing cases of beetles and other insects," 1836, from French chitine, from Latinized form of Greek khiton "frock, tunic, garment without sleeves worn directly on the body;" in reference to soldiers, "coat of mail," used metaphorically for "any coat or covering." "Probably an Oriental word" [Liddell & Scott]; Klein compares Hebrew (Semitic) kuttoneth "coat," Aramaic kittana, Arabic kattan "linen;" Beekes compares Phoenician ktn "linen garment." Related: Chitinous.
